The big day is now approaching.I started my Wilton classes just so I could make my babies 1st b-day cake.I ended up loving it so much I am now in Wilton 3.But I need some help.I have never made a sheetcake.
I bought a 12x18 , 2 inch deep pan last night at Micheals.How many will that serve? I am just doing the single layer.Also how do I flip such a large cake out onto the board without breaking it? Is this a 1/2 sheetcake or whole?
Any tips for me? I really want this to be perfect.My plans are to make brown basketweave around it.I am taking my pampered chef prep bowls they are small and when you bake in them they are circle from the bottom.Anyway I am going to place the small circles on top of the sheetcake to mimic the caterpillar off of baby einstein.I then want to do the pull grass all the way around the caterpillar and all on top of the cake.I'm not sure which border to use yet.Oh also I see you all talking about the heating core.Do I need that? If so how do I use it and what is it for?
If you made it this far thanks! LOL Thank you all for your help.
Jamie
I've only made one sheet cake. So, I won't be able to help you with all your questions. I'm sure someone can though. I think a 12x18 is a half sheet cake. There are different opinions on that though. I could be wrong. Don't forget to use parchment paper in the bottom of your pan. So, grease pan, paper, and then grease again. I use the spray with flour in it. I flipped my cake out directly on my cake board. Actually, my husband did...it's very heavy, I'm short and clutzy! I payed him with cherry crisp. lol. The heating core is to help the your cake to cook more evenly. With a cake that big you risk having raw centers and overdone edges. It helps distribute the heat more evenly. You can use flower nails instead. I think I used two in my 12x18. You just put them pointy side up and pour your batter in. Then when you flip your cake out you can just pull them right out. Your cake sounds like it's going to be adoreable!!! If most of your cake is going to be white could you use the green for the border to? Maybe a shell border? Or maybe you could use the grass tip for the bottom border and do something different for the top border. Here's a link you can check out for serving amounts and how much icing you will need. http://www.wilton.com/cake/cakeprep/baking/times/party_3inch.cfm
Happy baking and welcome to CC
There is nothing to fear with a sheet cake. On a 2 inch pan the cooking time is not that much different then a round cake. I do all my baking at 325, that covers the larger cakes and the smaller cakes, they might take a little longer but thats OK. You do not need a heat core for the cake. Once your cake is cooled put it in the freezer for just a little while, a firmer, larger cake is easier to flip when it is more solid. Make sure you spray or pan smear or parchment your baking pan. Wrap a board larger then your pan, so that you have plenty or room for your borders. Two inches all the way around makes plenty or room. When you are ready, take your pan out of the freezer and lay your board on top of the pan, look to make sure it is lined up good. Then put one hand on top of the board and one hand under the baking pan and flip. Once you have flipped it, your cake should come out of the pan, it it doesn't come out rub the top of the pan with your hand to get it at room temp, or let it sit a little while, I gently tap the pan to release the cake. You sound like you have a cute idea for the cake. Good luck.
I do not use a heat core for this pan either and have never had any trouble. I also bake it at 325. I don't have a cooling rack big enough for this sized cake, so I improvised. I went to Lowe's and bought some of the white metal shelving (that kind of looks like a cake rack) that is the exact width of this cake, and probably 4 feet long. I turn my cake directly out onto that and then hang it between 2 kitchen chairs. It lets the air circulate above and below, just like a regular cooling rack. It is just perfect!
I put strips of parchment paper under all my square and rectangle cakes to have little "handles" when getting them out. With parchment paper under the whole cake and having sprayed the pans enough, it's probably overkill, but it makes me feel safer.
I always use a flower nail when baking any cake over 10 inches ( at 325).
I just made a cake using this same pan. (first pic in photos). I did not use a heating core and worried at first but it was perfect all the way through. I flip mine on a cooling rack after it has cooled in the pan a little first.
I thought about doing a basketweave in it too but didn't feel like there was enough to the sides to do so, so I didn't try. I could have been wrong but went with the smooth sides. Let me know if you can get one on there I would be interested in trying it myself.
I also did not use parchment paper. That may be a good idea but I think it is a pain so I never use it. I used Pam spray for baking with the flour in it and always do and my cakes have never stuck so far.
Good luck and can't wait to see your cake!
You really don't need a heating core for a sheet cake. The surface area that is exposed to heat takes care of that problem. Now a 12x18 is considered a Half sheet and it will feed about 40-45 if you cut it into 2x2 inch squares. you can make a "full sheet" cake 18x24 if you put two half sheets together long sides (glue it well with frosting) and you have a cake that will feed about 90 people. If you do bake one make sure that you line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper greased of course. This helps to keep the cake together if you want to torte it or transfer it to a cake board or something. Of course take the paper off before you frost it though, (most peeps don't like the extra fibre in their diet) LOL.
Most of the time sheets cakes are easier to deal with than multiple layered round cakes. Just takes a little practice to get your corners lookin good. Then again borders are a wonderful invention they hide all that imperfection on the tops. LOL
Just have lot's of fun
Think of it as a canvas to paint your cake on.
Another thing, if you put fondant on it make sure that you do the corners first and then the sides. That way you won't have that gathering on the corners and it's easier to ease the extra into the long sides.
Hope this helps
I just did a 12X18 this week and used two flower nails and wished I had used three. I had a small 2" circle in the middle sink and the edges were more done than the center. I think three nails would have been perfect. I bought a large cooling rack for this cake, 14X 20. It worked great. I've had this pan for 30 years or more and I hadn't used it for almost as long. I couldn't remember how much batter it used or what I had used before to put it out to cool. I used parchment in the bottom sprayed with a little PAM and used that spray on flour and oil mixture on the sides and under the parchment. I let it cool for 15 or 20 minutes before I turned it out. Hope this helps.
It's in my pictures.
I've only done a sheet cake once, so I'm not super experienced, but I found it easy for me to flip the cake out onto the cooling rack by placing rack on top of the cake pan (while cake is still in it) and then just turn it over!!!
The one thing that was hard for me was wrapping it in Saran wrap so I could freeze it!!! 
I had to get my son to help me turn it over as I wrapped or vice versa; it was interesting, but it worked!!!
That is the most requested size cake I make. I use ONE flower nail in it for a heating core (and have baked without it and it has been fine) I only use the homemade (1/3 flour, 1/3 crisco and 1/3 vegetable oil) to grease the pan with, never used parchment in this pan. I do not refrigerate or freeze it - I let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip it directly on to the cake board it will be served on. I also make sure to have SUPPORT for that cake board (I have 12 x 18" plywood boards here that I use) That is a heavy cake and it will crack in the middle if not supported well. The less time you move a cake this big around, the better off it is. 
Your cake sounds adorable - don't forget to post pics of it!
I'll admit now I didn't read all the answers in this thread so please forgive me if I'm repeating someone.
I've made lots of sheetcakes and I found it easiest to use the Flower Nails instead of the heating core. Just pick up 3 or so. You'll need about 3 nails for this sized cake placed down the center (from side to side) with about the same amount of space between each.
When done, take a clean hand/kitchen towel and fold it to fit one side next to nails, press gently to lower the hump that may have formed, pressing till even with sides of pan, repeat on other side of nails. Allow to cool IN pan for approx. 10 minutes.
Cake Boards---- for this size cake I use two taped together with DUCT tape and then covered with foil, you'll be adding additional weight and cake to the top, so I would suggest using 3 or 4 cake boards taped together for extra support.
Lay the boards over the cake and in one swift movement flip the pan and the boards. The fact that you've pressed it down with the towel you won't need to level the cake at all and once you flip if it still has a small gap between the board and the cake you can easily fill it in with an icing border.
I've seen this cake done a number of times and if you'd like to get further ideas for this cake I'd suggest searching for Caterpiller cakes, either here, or Google Images and you'll see quite a few! 
I hope all this info helps, I know it's helped me and I thank the members of CC for all their help in making mine.
Becky
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